Science and Society

Established in 1998, the principal aim of the Science and Society initiative at EMBL is to promote a better and broader understanding of the growing social and cultural relevance of the life sciences. We organise a variety of activities and events where members of our scientific community, scholars from other disciplines as well as members of the public meet to engage in a dialogue.

The life sciences have an enormous potential for further development and practical applications. However, a popular consensus needs to be developed around questions of how to assess and deal with the diverse repercussions of that development. More than ever, there is a need for multidisciplinary dialogue to inspire synthetic insights and a common world view. The new ways in which science is now being applied for the production of knowledge and economic wealth must be carefully adjusted to public interests and the value system in each society. It is the common responsibility of all, scientists as well as non-scientists, to engage in an ongoing process of carving out a shared understanding of science. Our efforts at the EMBL are motivated by such concerns.